Cyclone Sitrang disrupts internet and mobile network

Digital communications in the country are being impacted as cyclone Sitrang approaches and are expected to hit the coastal areas by nightfall on Monday. Internet services in the coastal areas are being disrupted due to a lack of electricity in the cyclone-affected regions.

Earlier today, the Post and Telecommunication Division issued an alert requesting operators and service providers to make all necessary preparations to protect their respective installations and telecommunication assets.

Emdadul Hoque, President of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), said that the storm is disrupting broadband internet services and it is not possible to keep the network running in areas without electricity. 

"In many places, our fibre optic cables are getting damaged and we cannot go out to fix them due to the bad weather. There will be some internet outages because of this and we hope to fix them and get them back up as soon as possible," he said.

Mobile networks are also facing disruption due to Sitrang. The disruption is happening to the power outages and delays in tackling those issues due to adverse weather conditions.

Telecom operator Banglalink, meanwhile, has offered free-of-charge internet and an emergency balance of up to 200 taka in the affected areas to help affected users ride out the storm.

In 2020, cyclone Amphan took a hit on nearly 60% of network towers in the storm-affected areas, cutting off nearly 1,300 towers from the electricity supply.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department has asked Mongla and Payra sea ports to hoist danger signal number 7 as the sea becomes rougher. Chittagong and Cox's Bazar seaports have also been asked to hoist the danger signals 6.